Rotary engine.



J. THEEMLING.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application meam 24, 1901.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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No. 697,693. Patented Apr. 15, I902.

J. THEEMLING.

ROTARY ENGINE.

[Application filed May 24, 1901.)

(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

made)? JnUenZ-Qr 1w: NORRIS warns on PHo o-Lnr'm, wAsHlNaruN, u. c.

J. THEEMLING.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Application filed May 24, 1901,)

(No Model.

Patented Apr. I5, 1902.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

7 1 zinesseq Tua uonms PETERS cc. Puoroumo wAsmuumu, I:v c.

No. 697,693. Patented Apr. l5, I902.

J. THEEMLING.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Application filed May 24. 1901. (No Model} 4 Sheets--Sheet 4.

n: nonms PETERS co. mmo-urna, wAsnmcYom n. c,

rTn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

srnorrron'rron forming part of Letters latent No. 697,693, dated April 15, 1902.

Application filed May 24, 1901. Serial No. 61,707. (No model.)

To all, whom it may] concern:

Be it known that I, JAKOB THEEMLING, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Union Hill, in the county of Hudson and State of NewJersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary engines, and relatesmore particularly to certain improvements in the construction, form, andarrangements of the several parts of the engine, so as to render thesame comparatively simple in construction, positive in action, and whichwill run with a small amount of friction.

A further object is to provide a rotary enginein which the stationarypart is yieldingly mounted upon a stationary support and the movablepart is secured to the spokes of a driving-wheel which is to be drivenby the engine.

A still further object is to provide a rotary engine which is welladapted for use in connection with any fluid powersuch, for instance, assteam or gasthe said engine being so constructed and arranged that itsmovement may be instantly and readily reversed.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a face view of the engineand a portion of the wheel to which the movable part is attached and thestationary support on which the stationary part is mounted. Fig. 2 is asimilar view with certain of the parts broken away to show more clearlythe interior construction of the engine. Fig. 3 is an enlarged partialsection taken in the plane of the line A A of Fig. 1, the yieldingabutment and its controlling parts being shown at the limit of theirinward movement. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section taken in the planeof the line B B of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of severalof the valve-controlling devices. Fig. 6 is a detail plan of the-meansfor securing the movable part of the engine to the wheel which it isintended to drive,aud Fig. 7 is a side view of the same.

The spokes of the driving-wheel, to which the m ovablo member of theengine is secured,

are denoted by 2, and the support upon which the stationary member ofthe engineis mounted is denoted by 3. The stationary member of theengine is yieldingly supported on the supports, and the movable memberof the engine isclamped to certain of the spokes 2 of the wheel.

Proceeding to describe the stationary member of the engine, a main inletpipe 4: is provided with two branches 5 and 6, leading, re spectively,to two annular chambers 7 and 8 at the central portion of the stationarymember of the engine. Two series of alternating conduits 9 and 10 lead,respectively, from the annular chambers 7 and 8 to a common annularpiston-chamber 11 in the periphery of the rim 12 of the stationarymember. The branch pipes 5 and 6, leading from the main inlet-pipe 4 tothe annular chambers 7 and 8, are provided with suitable two-way cocks13 and 14 for directing the flow of the motive fluid to the one or theother of the annular chambers 7 and 8 and at the same time connectingone or the. other of the chambers 7 and 8 with one or the other of theexhaust outlet-pipes 27 28. The alternating conduits 9 and 10 areprovided with self-seating positively operated valves 15 and 16, thevalves 15 serving as inlet-valves and the valves 16 serving asoutlet-valves when the motive fluid is permitted to enter the annularchamber 7, and the valves 16 serving as inlet-valves and the valves 15serving as outlet-valves when the motive fluid is permitted to enter theannular chamber 8 for reversing the movement of the engine.

The outer rotary member of the engine comprises an annular ring 17,having alining-ring 18, of antifriction metal, which engages theperiphery of the rim 12 of the stationary mem her with an easy slidingfit.

In the accompanying drawings Ihave represented six conduits with theirrespective valves 15 and six conduits 1O with'their respective valves16, and have provided the annular piston chamber with six stationaryabutments 19, each one interposed between the mouths of two adjacentconduits 9 and 10, which abutments conform to the concave cross-sectionof the piston-chamber and bear against the antifriction-lining18 of therotary member 17 of the engine.

I prdvide the rotary member with a plurality of ball-pistons 20, (in thepresent instance four are shown,) which fit the concave walls of theannular piston-chamber 11 and are arranged to travel along within thesame. These ball-pistons are controlled by a stationary cam-plate 21,fixed to the stationary member by a series of bolts 29, which cam-plateis provided in its inner face with an irregular annular cam-groove,along which travel studs or rollers 22 at the inner ends ofradially-reciprocating bars 23, the outer ends of which are engaged withspring-actuated followers 24, fitted to slide within the piston-casings25. Springs 26 are interposed between the outer ends of the casings andthe backs of the followers for holding the pistons snugly against theconcave walls of the annular piston-chamber. Ball socket-pieces 3O 31are interposed between each of the balls 20 and its springactuatedfollower 24, which socket-pieces are so hinged to the follower that theywill force the ball into its position in the piston-chamher, will permitthe ball to rotate freely, and

will automatically take up all wear. The inner walls of the casing aremade flaring opposite the hinged socket-pieces to permit them to spreadslightly, and thus adjust themselves to the ball. The cam-groove in theplate 21 is so formed that the spring-actuated followers andsocket-pieces will be forced outwardly and the balls released as theyarrive at the several stationary abutments 19.

The several valves 15 and 16 are opened at predetermined intervals bymeans of two annular series of plates 32 33, the annular series ofplates 32 for controlling the movements of the valves 15 being locatedupon one face of the engine and the annular series of plates 33 forcontrolling the movements of the valves 16 being located upon the otherface of the engine.

The valves 15 and16 are of the self-seating type in which the pressureof the motive fluid normally holds the valves'seated. The valvestherefore will also normally hold the plates 32and 33 at the limits oftheir outward movements.

The plates are successively operated upon by a plurality of rollers 34,carried by the movable member 17 of the engine, and the plates 33 aresuccessively operated upon by a plurality of rollers 35, also carried bythe movable member. There are six of these plates in each of the series,one for each of the valves, and there are four of the rollers 34 andfour of the rollers 35, one pair for each of the ball-pistons 20. Eachroller 34 is mounted in a bracket 36, and each roller 35 is mountedannular groove 41, which is engaged by the end of the screw 42. Theroller 35 is similarly mounted in a recess 43 in the bracket 37 and isprovided with an annular peripheral groove 44, which is engaged by theinner end of a screw 45. The brackets 36 and 37 overlap the sides of thering 17 of the rotary outer member and the sides of the rim 12 of thestationary inner member for holding the outer member in its position onthe inner member.

Each of the valve-controlling platesis connected to its valve in thefollowing manner: The valve is provided with an inwardly-extended stem46, whichpasses through a suitable packing-box 47, and is provided onits inner end with a laterally-extended pin 48, havingantifriction-rollers 49 5O thereon, the said pin and rollers beingsufficiently long to enter corresponding elongated recesses 51 in twoplates 32 33 upon the'opposite faces of the engine. Each of the platesis provided with a curved elongated slot 52, struck from a radius havingthe pin 48 as a center, through which elongated slot extends astationary fulcrum-stud 53, screwed or otherwise rigidly secured in oneface of the rim 12 of the stationary member of the engine. The yoke 54has its opposite branches provided with longitudinally-elongated slots55, which engage the stud 53 upon opposite sides of the plate. Thebranches of the yoke 54 are further provided with transverse elongatedslots 56,-arranged to intercept the slot 52 in the plate. A loose stud57 is located in the two transverse slots 56 of the yoke 54 and the slot52 in the plate.

As the valve-controlling roller 34 or 35, carried by the outer or rotarymember of the engine, travels along the outer edges of the series ofplates 32 or 33 the roller will successively depress the plates and openthe valve 15 or 16 in the following manner: The roller will firstdepress its plate to take up this lost motion until the stud 53 engagesthe outer end of the elongated slot in the plate. The further inwardpressure of the plate by the roller will cause the laterally-extendedpin 48, carried by the valve-stem, to be forced inwardly, thus openingthe valve. This movement will cause the loose stud 57 to travel along inthe two transverse slots 56 of the yoke 54 and the slot 52 in the saidplate.

I provide the following mechanism for adjusting the plates with respectto the valvecontrolling rollers, so that the valves may be held open agreater or lesser length of time. An annular cam-plate 58 is locatedbetween the piston-controlling cam-plate 21 and the yokes 54. Thiscam-plate 58 has a limited rotary movement by providing elongatedgrooves 59, concentric with the axis of the engine, which are engaged bythe bolts 29, which secure the piston-controlling cam-plate 21 to thestationary member of the engine. This cam-plate 58 is provided with sixirregular elongated slots each comprising a concentric central portion60 and diagonally outward oppositely extended wings 61 62. Each one ofvthese cam-slots is fitted to receive a stud 63, carried by the yoke 54upon one face of the engine, and the stud 64, carried by the ICC end ofa transversely-extended pin 65, carried by the corresponding yoke 54upon the opposite face of the engine. Supposing the yokes to be in thenormal position shown in the drawings and it be required to lessen thetime which the inlet-valves are open without lessening the time whichthe outlet-valves are open, the cam-plate 58 is rotated a short distancein one direction by means of its operating-handle 66, which projectsthrough a curved slot 67 in the stationary piston-controlling camplate21. This movement will force one of the studs 63 64 outwardly, thus alsomoving its yoke 54 outwardly. This will move the loose stud 57 upwardlyalong the elongated slot 52 in the plate, thus permitting the forwardend of the plate to swing outwardly and the rear end of theplate toswing inwardly, so that when the valve-controlling roll carried by themovable member of the engine passes over the plate it will hold theplate depressed for a shorter time. To guide the yoke in its inward andoutward movements,l provide a screw 68, which travels in a groove 69 inthe inner branch of the yoke, which screw is secured to thestationarymember of the engine.

The means which I have shown for connecting the movable member of theengine to the driving-wheel and spoke, so as to permita slight yieldingmovement between the said member and spoke for adjusting the tworelative to each other,is constructed and arranged as follows: Atwo-part clip comprising an outer part 70 and an inner part 71 isclamped to the spoke by means of bolts 72. The inner part 71 is providedwith a laterally-extended rectangular plate 73, which enters anopenended recess 74, the sides of which are convex, so that they permita slight yielding movement between the outer member 17 and the spoke 2for adjusting the parts relatively to each other. The plate 73 issecured to the outer member by means of a central bolt 7 5'. Thestationary member of the engine is mounted on the stationary support 3,so as to yield slightly by the following means: A'box 76 embraces threesides of the sup port 3 and is bolted inits position within thecentralportion of the stationary member. A spring actuated bearing-plate 77 is interposed between the central portion of the stationarymember and the other side of the support, which spring-actuatedbearing-plate has a very slight yielding movement, so that it yieldinglysupports the said stationary member. This bearing-plate 77 is hollow andis provided with a central 'stud- 78, which may enter a hole 79 in thelower end of an adj ustable screw 80, carried by the stationary member.The supportingtspring 81 surrounds the central stud 78 within thebearing-plate 77 and is interposed between the bearingplate and anadjustable retaining-plate 82. This retaining-plate 82 may be adjustedto just the strength of the spring by means of the adj listing-screw 80,which bears against the back of the said plate. A lock-nut 83 serves tolock the adj usting-screw in its different adjustments. Two sectionalpackingrings 84 85 are located around the periphery of the stationarymember of the engine upon opposite-sides of the piston-chamber. Thesepacking-rings 84 85 have their outer faces engaged with theantifriction-lining of the movable member. These antifrictionpackingrings are fed outwardly and laterally toward each. other by meansof sectional followerrings 86 87, which are held under pressure by meansof a plurality of springs 88 89, interposed between the inner faces ofthe followerrings, and adj Listing-screws 90 91, carried by the rim ofthe stationarymember at intervals along the same. By th-ismeans Iamenabledto take'up the wear upon thepackingrings 84 85 in a, convenientmanner.

The operation of my engine is as follows: Presupposing that the movablemember of the. engine,1and thereby the wheel, is to be driven in thedirection indicated by .the arrows, Figs; 1 and 2,,the two-way cook 13is turned to close the outlet 27 and open communication from the inlet 4to the annular chamber 7. The two-way cook 14 is turned to closecommunication from the interior of theannular chamber 8 to the outlet28. The motive fluid will be caused to flow outwardly through theconduits 9, ready to be admitted to theannular piston-chamberthrough thevalves 15 when the valves are opened. The valves 16 when openedwillpermit the escape of the motivefiuid throughthe conduits 10 into theannular chamber 8 and from thence out through the outlet 28. The timesofadmittingthe motive fiuidto the piston-chamber and the lengthof timewhichthe inlet-valves may remain open are regulated bythe meanshereinabovefully set forth. -As the ballspistons reach the severalstationary abutments theyare released to permit them to pass over theabutments in the manner also hereinabove fully set forth. "When it isdesired to reverse the action of the engine, the two-way cook 13 isturned in. a direction-to opencomniunication from the interior of theannular chamber 7 to the outlet 27 andclose communication to theinlet 4,While the two-way cook 14 is turned .in a direction to, opencommunicationfrom the inlet 4 to the annular chamber 8 and closecommunication through the outlet 28. r

It is evident that changes might be resorted to in the form,constructiomand arrangement of the several parts without departingfrom-the spiritand scope of my invention. Hence I do notwish to limitmyself strictly to the structure herein shown and described; but

WVhat I claim is-.

1. In combination, a stationary support, a driving-wheel. and a rotaryengine com prising a stationary member mounted on the support and arotary member adjustably connected to the spokes of the wheel foradjusting the rotary member with respect to the said spokes,substantially as set forth. l

2. In combination, a stationary support, a driving-wheel anda rotaryengine comprising a stationary member yieldingly mounted on the supportand a rotary member secured to the spokes of the wheel, substantially asset forth.

3. In combination, a stationary support, a driving-Wheel and a rotaryengine comprising a stationary member yieldingly mounted on the supportand a rotary member adjustably connected to the spokes of the wheel foradjusting the rotary member with respect to the said spokes,substantially as set forth.

4. In combination, a stationary support, a driving-wheel, a rotaryengine comprising a stationary member mounted on the support and arotary member and clips for securing the rotary member to thedriving-wheel, substantially as set forth.

5. A rotary engine comprising a stationary member having an annularpiston-chamber,

v each pair of inlet and outlet ports, a rotary member, andspring-actuated ball-pistons fitted to travel along within saidpiston-chamber and over the abutments and means for controlling theadmission and escape of the motive fluid to and from the piston-chamber,substantially as set forth.

7. A rotary engine comprising a stationary member having an annularpiston-chamber in its periphery and two inner annular chambers,alternating inlet and outlet conduits connecting the inner annularchambers with the piston-chamber, valves for opening and closing theconduits, stationary abutments between the two conduits of eachalternating pair, a rotary member, spring-actuated ballpistons carriedthereby and fitted to travel along within the said piston-chamber andover the abutments and means carried by the rotary member forcontrolling the operation of the valves in the conduits in thestationary member, substantially as set forth.

8. A rotary engine comprising a stationary member having-an annularpiston-chamber with abutments therein, motive-fluid inlet and outletconduits arranged in pairs,valves therefor, an annular series ofvalve-operatin g plates for operating the inlet-valves and a secondseries of valve-operating plates for operating the outlet-valves, arotary member, ballpistons carried thereby and fitted to travel alongwithin said piston-chamber and over the abutments and rollers carried bythe rotary member in position to successively engage the two annularseries of valve-controlling plates for opening the valves atpredetermined intervals, substantially as set forth.

9. In a rotaryengine,astationary member, a piston-chamber therein, amotive-fluidconduit leading to the piston-chamber, a valve for openingand closing said conduit, a valve-operating plate pivoted to thestationary member, and connected with the-valve-stem, a rotary member, apiston carried thereby and a roller carried by the rotary member inposition to force the plate inwardly to open the valve, substantially asset forth.

10. In a rotary engine, astationary member having a piston-chambertherein, a motivefluid conduit communicating with the pistonchamber, avalve for opening and closing said conduit, a valve-operating platefulcrumed on the stationary member and connected to the valve-stem,amovable cam-plate for adjusting the valve-operating plate, a rotarymember, a piston carried thereby and a roller carried by the rotarymember in position to depress the valve-operating plate for opening thevalve, substantially as set forth.

11. In a rotary engine, a stationary member having an annularpiston=chamber therein, fluid inlet and outlet conduits communicatingwith the piston-chamber,valves for opening and closing the saidconduits, a series of valve-operating plates upon each face of theengine for operating the inlet and outlet valves, respectively, the saidplates being f ulcrumed on the stationary member, a camplate having alimited rotary movement in opposite directions for adjusting the twoseries of cam-plates for controlling the length of time that the valvesshall remain open, a

rotary member, pistons carried thereby and rollers carried by the rotarymember in posi tion to engage the two series of valve-operating platesfor successively operating the valves, substantially as set forth.-

12. In a rotary engine, a stationary member having an annularpiston-chamber therein, a rotary member having spring-actuatedballpistons fitted to travel along within said piston-chamber and astationary cam-plate connected with the ball-piston for controlling theinward and outward movement of the same, substantially as set forth.

13. In a rotary engine, a rotary member, a ball-piston, a casing, aspring-actuated follower within the casing and hinged socketpiecesinterposed between the ball-piston and the follower and hinged to thefollower, substantially as set forth.

It. In combination, a'valve, a valve-operatin g plate connected with thevalve-stem and having an elongated groove therein, a support havinga'stationary fulcrum within the said groove, a yoke having an elongatedgroove embracing the fulcrum and a transverse groove therein, a loosestud located in the said trans- IIO verse groove and the elongatedgroove in the plate and means for raising and lowering the yoke foradjusting the position of the loose pin with respect to the fulcrum foradjusting the movement of the plate, substantially as set forth.

15. In combination, two valves,a valve-operatin g plate for each valveconnected thereto and having an elongated slot therein, stationaryfulcrums for each pla-telocated in the said elongated groove, a yoke foreach plate having an elongated groove embracing the fulcrum and atransverse groove therein, a loose stud located in the said transversegroove and the elongated groove in the plate, a rotary cam-plate havingan irregular cam-slot therein comprisinga concentric central portion andtwo outwardlyextended wing portions, the said yokes being provided withstuds engaging said slot, whereby, when the cam-plate is moved in onedirection or the other, the movement of the one or the otherof thevalve-op crating plates is adjusted, substantially as set forth.

16. A rotary engine comprising a circular stationary member, a rotaryring-shaped member mounted on the periphery of the stationary member andconfining-brackets secured to the movable member and overlapping theopposite faces of the stationary member for holding the rotary member inposition thereon, substantially as set forth.

17. A rotary engine comprising a circular stationary section having anannular peripheral piston -chamber therein, a rotary member mounted onthe periphery of the stationary member, ball-pistons carried by therotary member andfitt'ed to travel along the said piston-chamber,packing-rings, triangular in crosssection, located along the peripheryof the stationary section upon the opposite sides of the piston-chamberand springactuated adjustable follower-rings for forcing thepacking-rings snugly against the face of the rotary member and againstthe walls of the ball-pistons for taking up Wear, substantially as setforth.

18. In combination, a wheel, a rotary engine comprising a stationarymember and a rotary member, and means for adjustablyconnecting therotary member with the spokes of the wheel comprising a plurality ofsplit clips embracing the spokes and having laterally-extendedrectangular plates and openended recesses on the periphery of the rotarymember having convex sides which recesses are adapted to receive theclip-plates and bolts for securing the centers of the clipplates to therotary members, substantially as set forth.

19. In combination, a stationary support, a rotary engine and means foryieldingly mounting the engine on the support comprising a box embracingthreesides of the support and a spring-actuated bearing-plate interposedbetween the engine and the other side of the support, substantially asset forth.

20. In combination, a stationary support, a rotary engine comprising astationary member and a rotary member mounted thereon and means foryieldingly mounting the stationary member on the support comprising abox embracing three sides of the support, a spring-actuatedfollower-plate interposed between the other side of the support and thestationary member and means for adjusting the spring tension thereof,substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of two witnesses, this 18th day of May, 1901.

JAKOB 'II-IEEMLING.

Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, O. S. SUNDGREN.

